The Secrets of a Fox
by drazzah
Summary: AU. Naruto is banished after the Chuunin exams. This is what happens when he returns to Konoha after five years of traveling and training when Tsunade asks for his help. Trouble is brewing and Tsunade believes Naruto may be their only hope. Naruto knows he can't help them without revealing his secrets, but in the end it may be worth it. ON HIATUS!
1. Chapter 1: Reunion

Hi guys! This is my first story on FF. Let me know how it is, good or bad, and if you want me to continue it!

It is definitely AU, with most of the events leading up to Sasuke leaving after the Chuunin exams staying canon. After that it goes off track, with the exception of Naruto convincing Tsunade to become Hokage. Also Naruto is a little OC too.. I tried to picture what Naruto would be like growing up mostly by himself, outside the village. Hope you enjoy!

All rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

-Drazzah

Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling the dirt path beneath. Singing birds fell silent as a figure leisurely strolled beneath them, quickly taking up their song when they sensed no threat. Hands in his pockets, the figure had a small smile on his face, leaned back in a relaxed manner. He no longer needed to mask his approach or chakra this close to the village. He didn't care who saw him coming, and he wouldn't sneak into his former home like a thief. He was proud of where he was, and while the hurt that he had felt when he had been banished five years ago had dulled, part of him wanted to show everyone what he had managed to become. When he had been forced to give up his dream on that miserable day, he had made a new one and forged ahead with it. It was, after all, his ninja way. Besides, he didn't think anyone was going to recognize him immediately anyway. Naruto wasn't a kid anymore. And there was the small fact that there was a team currently out of the village tracking him down to bring him to Tsunade. A small grin appeared. He might not be a kid anymore, but pranks were always funny.

The gates to Konoha loomed up before him, looking smaller than he remembered. It was nostalgic, happy and sad all at the same time. He had grown so much, and was eager to see if Konoha had grown as well. He had to go visit Tsunade first, but Ichiraku's was next on his list. After traveling throughout the Five Great Shinobi Nations, he had never tasted ramen that was better than Ichiraku's. It was one thing he missed most about Konoha. After Ichiraku's he would go visit Iruka-sensei. He was very excited to catch up, and stop the worrying he was sure Iruka was still doing. That man had always been a mother-hen to him. Then he had business with Jiraiya-sensei, he hadn't seen him since Jiraiya had asked for his help on a mission six months ago. His sources had told him that Ero-Sennin was visiting here before setting out on another mission. Rumors said that Tsunade asked Jiraiya to return in hopes that when the team brought him back he would help smooth the way, unsure of Naruto's reaction to returning to Konoha. His grin widened when he pictured his sensei's reaction to casually coming into the front gates.

Rumor had also told him that Tsunade was going to get all of the information concerning him that she could from Jiraiya. They had traveled together for a year after he had been forced from the village. Ero-Sennin knew that it would look bad if he trained him for too long, or if he stayed with him, so he took long recon missions so they they could continue lessons. That year was a long intense training period, before Jiraiya had taught him all he could and sent him to various places and acquaintances around the nation so that he could convince them to teach him. It has worked out better than he could ever have hoped. His old dream was a bitter memory, but his new dream was within his grasp, and he believed in always moving forward.

The shinobi guarding the gates were the same two who were always there. Naruto lazily waved at them and walked straight through into his old home. He sensed their confusion as they tried to place him, but as he'd suspected they failed. Konoha was bustling, with so many faces he didn't recognize. There were new businesses, newer homes, and as he jumped to a rooftop, there was a new face carved into the stone. He was happy to see Baa-chan there. After he had left, Ero-Sennin had declared that they were first going to convince Tsunade to become the Godaime Hokage. He had learned rasengan, fought an epic battle with Kabuto and Orochimaru, and Tsunade had eventually agreed to go back to Konoha. She had wanted to convince him to return with her, that as Hokage she could bring him back and reinstate him as a Leaf Shinobi. But there wasn't anything there for him anymore, so he had refused and told her his new dream. She had smiled at him, and promised to see him again some day. And finally that day was here!

His head cocked as he picked up a chakra signature nearby that he knew well. Naruto quickly masked his own chakra and presence, and disappeared leaving only a few orange leaves to slowly float away, instantly appearing next to the shinobi he had sensed. Funnily enough, he was now known for being so fast he didn't leave a trace. Ero-Sennin had told him about his fathers abilities, and that Naruto still wasn't nearly as fast as Minato had been. After picking up a speed technique in a small northern village in the Land of Wind, and with his own massive stores of chakra, he was extremely fast and could keep his pace indefinitely. Naruto had found it so convenient to travel quickly and undetected through the nations that he had practiced endlessly until he mastered it. After showing his master, Jiraiya would only tell him he was closer to the speed his father had been. It made him laugh now to remember that conversation. He had since vowed to become even faster than the Yondaime!

His speed and concealment techniques were enough to counter Kakashi-sensei however, despite the Sharingan he knew Kakashi had. He was reading another of his Icha Icha books. Naruto sighed and he stopped behind where his former sensei was leaning on a chimney.

"You never get tired of those books, Kakashi-sensei? I've read them all, they're _all_ the same!"

Kakashi stiffened because Naruto was still masking his presence and he had surprised him. Not many could sense him unless he wanted them to. But, as always, he recovered quickly. The book snapped shut and the gray-haired ninja turned to face him. That one visible eye was wary and trying to mask what he was thinking. However, Naruto could tell that he was shocked. And guarded. Couldn't blame him for that, though, could he?

"Uzumaki Naruto... it's been a long time."

When Kakashi looked at Naruto, he was shocked. Gone was the hyper boy in his blinding outfit of orange and blue, shouting at everyone that he would become Hokage. Instead stood a young man, as tall as Kakashi, with an earnest and calm demeanor. He looked so much like the Yondaime that his breath caught in his throat. Bright blue eyes, whiskers on his cheeks and that spiky blonde hair remained the same. He wore black pants, bound with white around the calves like Kakashi's own, but with bold orange stripes up the sides. Black sandals covered his feet. Over a mesh shirt covered in light black body armor, was his jacket. Kakashi knew this was special to him, and made with care. It was also black and fell to his knees, but it was beautifully decorated. There were orange flames crawling up from the tail of the coat, and thick orange bands around his shoulders. The sleeves rolled up halfway to his elbows revealed the orange interior to the fabric. It caused a pang when he realized that instead of a proud leaf headband, a simple thick black band with long tails was tied around his head, and the Uzumaki swirls proudly displayed where the leaf should be. He looked mature, and both a stranger and like his old student at the same time.

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable with the long study, and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, sure has been. You always look the same, sensei. It's good to see you." He figured he shouldn't give all of his secrets away this early on in the game, so he let his presence be known. That single eye widened fractionally as he finally felt Naruto's chakra. "How's it going?"

"Well, I'd hoped to see you sooner, but you look.. good, Naruto. You've grown up. I tried to find word of you during missions, but after your first year with Jiraiya I lost track."

He calmly stared at his sensei but masked his emotions, as he was used to doing. He was slightly unsure about everyone in Konoha after the last five years, but he had never doubted Kakashi, who was just wondering what had happened to his student. He also knew from Jiraiya-sensei that Kakashi had fought hard for his sake when they announced his banishment. Naruto straightened up, shoulders back, slipped his hands into his jacket pockets, and let a genuine smile come across his face. "It's been busy, sensei! I traveled a lot, and trained with many people all across the Five Nations. I only wanted to get stronger. I kept track of Team Seven though, you know! Tsunade is Sakura-chan's master, and Sasuke returned to the village after he achieved his goals. And you, Kakashi-sensei, are still training and doing missions just like when I left. It made me happy to hear that."

Kakashi leaned back, and gazed upwards at the clouds slowly passing overhead. "Did it? I figured after what we had done to you that you would never return or keep tabs on us like you have. I thought you'd written off Konoha for good. Especially how it ended with Sasuke back then, and knowing that he was welcomed back."

Naruto sighed, a resigned smile on his lips. "You know.. on the way here I didn't know how to feel. Deep down I'm a little angry, still, at how unfair it was. I had to give up my dream of being Hokage. I had to leave my home. But I grew up and got stronger. I learned more than I ever could have living here. And I have a new dream that is very important to me. So now that I'm in Konoha, I feel very.. " His smile faded slowly, and he looked around him, searching his feelings. "I feel content, in a distant sort of way. It was lonely away from home, but no one really accepted me here anyways aside from my teachers and the Sandaime. After going out into the Five Nations, I know how dangerous it was for you all to keep a Jinchuuriki here. After learning a lot of truths about Konoha, and learning about the Akatsuki, I figure it was best all-around. Still, it's strange to be back." He glanced back at Kakashi.

Kakashi's eye was warm now, looking at him with pride. "Welcome home, Naruto. I'm glad you're back."

Naruto choked up a bit. "Thank you." He cleared his throat, and out came his signature Naruto-grin. "But I'm only back to talk to Tsunade. She's going to be pissed that I evaded her squad and walked right into town!"

As expected, she called him an idiot, and punched him hard enough that he flew back into the wall. As she advanced on him, he cringed. But she just flicked him on the forehead like she had once before. He opened one eye and saw her smile. He couldn't help but beam back. Then she settled behind the desk and sent Shizune to have a message sent to the team who obviously weren't going to find Naruto. Kakashi, now shaking his head, had followed along and lounged against the wall to one side of the room.

"Well, Naruto, I won't ask how you came to be here without my squad finding you. But thank you for coming. I know you probably didn't want to return to Konoha after everything but I was hoping you would. There's something we need your help on." She gazed at him steadily.

"My help, Baa-chan? I'm not a leaf shinobi and I doubt anyone would want you calling me in to help the village. I only stopped in to see Konoha again and find out exactly what you wanted. You don't even know all I've gotten up to during the last few years, or who I'm associated with, despite whatever Ero-Sennin has told you." He glanced towards the window as he sensed Jiraiya's chakra approaching. He smiled slightly and added, "Speaking of Ero-Sennin."

Kakashi looked towards the window, and Tsunade was glancing around, when Jiraiya popped into the open window, crouching on the sill. Naruto had, after all, taught his sensei a few of the tricks he had picked up. The fact was Ero-Sennin rarely bothered to hide his presence unless there was a joke or real danger, whereas Naruto was so well known because of the Nine-Tails that he did it constantly to avoid trouble. "Yo!" He greeted. He looked Naruto up and down. "Nice clothes there, kid. I don't recognize them though."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, grimacing. "Before I got word of all this, I was helping out Kurama-san in the Valley Village. She wouldn't let me leave without making this for me! I said food was fine as a payment but she said I couldn't eat or leave until she had finished this! I think I almost died waiting for her." He laughed, and Jiraiya chuckled as the other two just stared at them in disbelief. "But, I got a very nice jacket out of it! My old one was falling apart. She also made the pants because she said my old ones didn't match."

Jiraiya nodded. He was about to speak but Tsunade interrupted. "Are you talking about Misato Kurama, the master tailor? I heard her clothing can be imbued with chakra." Her eyes scanned the coat as if she could see if that was true or not.

Naruto was embarrassed. It's not like he'd demanded this fancy outfit. Kurama-san needed help with a nearby group raiding her village and Naruto had been passing through so he'd taken care of it. "Well, I mean, she mentioned something about chakra. I was so hungry I didn't listen very well though.." He trailed off. They all looked at him expectantly. He stared back, not sure what they wanted. He wasn't handing over his coat though! Maybe there was some kind of law about chakra clothing? His thoughts were interrupted by a ball of paper coming directly for his forehead. Without thinking he caught the trash and glared at his master. " _What?_ "

Ero-Sennin laughed. "Try it out, dummy. Kurama is the only one who can make that type of clothing. If it really is able to hold your chakra then it's a very special gift. You have to know if it can or not!" Naruto thought he just wanted to see it, though. But he figured there was no harm and he _should_ know. It could come in handy as an extra defense during battle.

Naruto closed his eyes and allowed a small amount of chakra to coat his body. He could feel the odd texture of the coat with his chakra and slowly worked it into that strange sensation. It almost felt like he was feeding it. Once it was full, he estimated that it didn't actually take much chakra, but he could feel the strength radiating from what used to just be fabric. He opened his eyes to see that all eyes, or in Kakashi-sensei's case, eye, was fixated on him in disbelief. He glanced down and saw that he was glowing and the clothes had changed colours. The black was now bright blue, and the orange was yellow. It also moved around like he was in a small breeze.

"So cool! Kurama-san is the best!" He was so excited that he turned to Kakashi-sensei. "Throw a kunai at me. Come on, come on!" Kakashi glanced at Jiraiya, and when he received a shrug, reached behind him to take a kunai from his pouch. In a flash, it was flying towards Naruto. He instinctively braced, but when the kunai hit the coat it bounced away harmlessly. He cut off the flow of chakra and the clothing returned to normal. Naruto pumped his fists in the air. "Awesome! This is the best gift ever."

"Well, Naruto," Kakashi began, "You certainly are still the number one most surprising ninja."


	2. Chapter 2: Information

Wow! Thank you guys for the support and reviews! To answer your question NarutoHinata20114251, at this time there's no plan for romance. If it does come into the story later on, it would most likely be Naruto and Hinata.

*A note about this chapter and subsequent ones. In my AU Madara and Obito are dead and there is no Zetsu. There is a Nagato/Pain but he is also slightly OC. I hoped to keep the Akatsuki the main villains here without Madara's influence. I hope this works out okay! This story will take place basically after Sasuke kills Itachi. Also, these first couple of chapters are kind of setting everything up, so sorry if they're kind of lackluster!

Thanks!

-Drazzah

Tsunade was a little lost. Here was the goofy kid who had reminded her so much of Nawaki. But now he was strong and no longer one of her precious shinobi, and it saddened her that he would never shout of being Hokage again. She wondered idly what his new dream was. She wondered a lot about Naruto. As Hokage she heard stories and rumors but no one could confirm anything. Naruto was absent from the Five Great Nations for a time, one spy told her, but that couldn't be true. They call him the Five Nations Hurricane, or the Golden Fox. These she could certainly believe.

She glared at her fellow Sannin and he shot her his trademark innocent look. He knew more than we would tell her. Oh, he had described what Naruto's first year away from Konoha was like, but after that he just said that Naruto had become a very secretive kid. It was troublesome to say the least!

However, one thing Tsunade knew was that whatever Naruto was up to now he had not allowed pain and anger to turn him into something bad, like she had feared. His leaving had not been in pursuit of power or in hate, not like Sasuke's leaving had been. And Kakashi obviously trusted him immediately after his five year absence, not to mention Jiraiya. Trust was a difficult thing in the shinobi world. It often blew up in your face, and it could get you killed. But she believed trusting those in this room was pertinent at this time. Her advisors and Danzo could not be counted on. She knew that they schemed behind her back, and they would never let their guard down after hearing that she had this meeting with the long-lost Jinchuuriki.

"I suppose you want to know why I wanted you specifically, Naruto, and why I'm trusting you with this instead of Konoha ninjas." She began. Naruto had tucked his hands in his pockets and was looking at her with attention. Her heart sang with maternal pride at this new young man before her. She allowed a brief smile before giving her stern face once again to fill in Naruto about the situation.

"There is a group of elite missing-nin who are making waves throughout the Five Nations. They call themselves Akatsuki. They have begun to take the Bijuu from the Jinchuuriki. So far they have succeeded in taking the Ichibi, Nibi, Sanbi, Yonbi and the Nanabi." Tsunade rubbed her forehead, lingering on the diamond there. She couldn't tell if any of this was news for Naruto or not, but she was betting it wasn't. She continued anyways. "We know of seven members. We have fought quite a few battles with them, after all." She pointed to the shinobi still leisurely leaning against the wall. "Kakashi defeated Kakuzu with the help of Sarutobi Asuma's remaining team. He was also aided by an unknown ninja. Shikamaru defeated Hidan. Sasori was killed in battle with Chiyo of the Sand and my pupil, Sakura. Sasuke defeated Deidara. Itachi died during their battle, after which Sasuke returned to Konoha upon hearing the truth about the Uchiha clan. He also killed Orochimaru after being taught by him for years, although Orochimaru had already left Akatsuki by that time." She leaned back in her chair. "Maito Guy and his team have also clashed with a member by the name of Kisame, whereabouts unknown."

When she paused, Naruto asked about something that stood out to him. "An unknown ninja?"

A sigh was heard from the wall. They looked over at Kakashi. "We had sent our reinforcements, Sai and Sakura, to aid Shikamaru. A shinobi who was temporary leader of their team, Yamato, stayed with us. He managed to take down one more heart before everyone except for me was knocked down by Kakuzu's next attack. Since I was left standing I saw a flash of black, and when I focused with my Sharingan I managed to see a black cloak and a mask like the ANBU wear. Then there was a high pitched sound and an explosion of chakra so strong that I was knocked away, but I've never seen an attack like that before. This ninja had destroyed two of his remaining three hearts in one hit, but he disappeared without a trace. I was able to clean up the mess afterward."

"They call this ninja the Masked Shadow." Tsunade said. "This is because no one remembers anything but a white mask. There are tales of him throughout the Five Nations, but no one knows anything about him, or who he works for, if anyone. We don't know why he helped kill Kakuzu, but we wish he would finish the rest of them off too!"

Naruto was nodding. "I've seen him once, and I've listened to a lot of rumors about what he's done. I want to meet him someday! Although, I don't like when shinobi wear masks all the time. The people you beat up should see who does it!"

Jiraiya chuckled and broke into the conversation. "Since this Masked Shadow doesn't seem to be a problem, let's get back to the issue at hand. I just returned from a recon mission to discover more about Akatsuki." At this, they all immediately turned their attention back to the white-haired Sannin. "Specifically about their hideout and leader. I was infiltrating Amegakure after an old friend heard of suspicious ninja there. Despite my cloaking, I was detected and had to retreat. However the powerful chakra I sensed with my Senjutsu makes me believe the leads we need, if not members of Akatsuki themselves, are there." He glanced at Naruto, before returning his report to Tsunade. "It was very hard not to just go in myself, you know! But if they could sense me, then we need to know more before entering, or at least find a better way to infiltrate."

They all fell silent to think. Naruto was considering this situation deeply. He knew all of this information, of course, except for that bit about the Masked Shadow. He himself had obviously just beaten Jiraiya-sensei to Amegakure after leaving Kurama-san's village on his way to Konoha. Ero-Sennin had probably stopped at an Onsen to relax and gather information before going into Amegakure. Naruto hadn't been detected as easily, but he'd known he was sensed when the ninja patrolling the city grew more watchful. There was one very powerful shinobi that he had also sensed in the village who had picked up some small hint Naruto was there, which is the first time that had happened to him since mastering that technique. In fact, they had probably been on their guard afterward which is why they had noticed Jiraiya so quickly. Naruto had decided not to create a scene with the user of that intimidating chakra by staying, since he was going to go back later after more reconnaissance. However he couldn't share all of this information with the ninjas in front of him without revealing other secrets he needed to keep. If they, or anyone else who learned this information, traced who had given him the tip about Amegakure then they would figure out too much about him. But if he played it right then Tsunade would ask him to go there on Konoha's behalf anyways so that he could report back legitimately! Strategy had never been his strong point, he thought with an inward sigh. But it was now an integral part of his life, since he had found his new path. It was so annoying.

He looked up and realized they were all staring at him. His eyes widened and he looked around the room. "What? What? Did I miss something?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. Well, eye. Naruto didn't know if you could actually roll only one eye, but if anyone could it was Kakashi. "Oi, Naruto, pay attention. Tsunade asked if you had any information to add before we discuss a course of action. You haven't changed in this way, at least."

"Ah, well," Naruto rubbed at his head. Stopping Akatsuki was part of his goals as well, and since he'd suspected what Tsunade was going to ask for, he had thought about what he could safely reveal. "I've heard some other rumors as well, along with information I know is true. I've been keeping track of Akatsuki as much as possible, since they'll be coming after me as soon as they take the rest of the Bijuu. That is, _if_ they do." Naruto glanced at the three ninja, and saw that they were very focused now. "I don't know who their leader is yet. Like Ero-Sennin, I've learned that there is a good chance he is in Amegakure. My source says he has seen the red cloud coats they wear around the village, but I don't know anyone who lives there so I can't confirm it. But, I can tell you that Kabuto is part of Akatsuki now. After Sasuke defeated Orochimaru, and Sasuke returned to Konoha after Itachi died, Kabuto offered his services to them for some reason. That guy was always bad news! He's gotten really powerful now though.. I think he uses his medical-jutsu for that somehow. Medical ninjas have always confused me!" Naruto chuckled and looked around. They all looked slightly off-balance, like a strong wind had gone through the room. "Um, and then there is Shiro. He was a part of same clan Haku was! You remember Haku, right, Kakashi-sensei? I think it was called the Yuki clan. Shiro has the same ice ability that Haku used, anyways. All of my sources said that he has been a mercenary for years and for some reason is volunteering for the Akatsuki. It must have something to do with the leader, though, if all these powerful guys work for him." He cleared his throat, unsure if they wanted him to continue.

Tsunade regarded him warily and broke the silence. She remembered Team Seven's first real mission, where they had encountered the missing-nin Zabuza and Haku. It seemed that Naruto was better at finding out information than even her spies. She didn't know quite what to think of that. "You continue to surprise me, Naruto. What else have you found out? For that matter how did you find out so much about this Shiro?"

"Well.." Naruto hesitated. This next bit of information was even more astonishing after all."I learned about Shiro from the Akatsuki's best spy. He was named Kirito, and he revealed himself to me when I was tracking him. I have a friend who lives by the sea south of Kumogakure, and when I visited he said that an Akatsuki member was seen just two days before traveling west. It was _really_ lucky! I caught up to Kirito and he said he was interested in me which is why he allowed me to catch him. I asked him about the Akatsuki but he put a Genjutsu on me and disappeared. Usually they don't affect me all that much, because of Kurama, so I was surprised!" Naruto was now getting confused looks from Kakashi and Tsunade. Jiraiya-sensei was just shaking his head with a hand on his forehead. He thought back and when he figured it out he began to snicker . "Ah! I mean Kurama, the Nine-Tails. Not Kurama-san who made my clothes!" With a smile still on his face, he continued, ignoring their now baffled expressions.

"Anyways, Kirito left a scroll, which told me to meet him at the border of Yukigakure. I knew it was probably a trap, but I wasn't going to give up that chance, so I met him there. He told me how he had wanted to meet me since learning that I had known Ranmaru. I noticed then that Kirito had the same eyes as Ranmaru did." With that, Naruto caught Kakashi-sensei's eye, who straightened up from his slouch.

"The boy with the dojutsu kekkei genkai from the Katabami Gold Mine village?" Kakashi asked, looking troubled. "This Kirito had the same kekkei genkai? It's hard to believe that two Akatsuki members were connected to two different people from your past. It's troubling." At the questioning look from Jiraiya, he quickly explained. "Ranmaru has a dojutsu that was able to counter the Byakugan. It also allowed him to see and hear things from far away, and to cast powerful Genjutsu."

"Yeah," Naruto agreed. "He told me that their leader had asked him to learn everything about all of the Jinchuuriki's in case they had weaknesses they could use. When Kirito found out about his connection to me through Ranmaru, he was excited. Since I already knew some of his abilities he'd always wanted to fight me, because with such a rare ability no one else could ever figure it out before he killed them. He also said that capturing the Kyuubi early wouldn't matter all that much." Naruto recounted this bitterly. "Then he attacked me, and we fought. I learned how to counter his eyes with help from Kurama, and eventually ended up defeating him. I _barely_ beat him, and he wasn't even a main Akatsuki member! That's when he told me about Shiro, since Shiro was also connected to me. He wanted to give me information as a reward for beating him because he was so happy someone finally countered his eyes. He was a weird guy."

Jiraiya was giving Naruto a harsh look. He knew it was because he'd never told his sensei any of this, though he could have. Naruto had his reasons though. It was always too boring to explain everything. "So, is this Kirito still alive? Where is he?"

Naruto gazed straight ahead, without meeting anyone's eyes. "Shark guy, Kisame, is apparently _really_ strict about revealing anything about Akatsuki. He had been following Kirito with one of his sharks, in the water where Kirito couldn't see or hear it. Man, Kirito would have been happy when he learned that Kisame learned to fool his eyes! When he learned Kirito had made contact with me, he followed him. Then when he was telling me about Shiro, Kisame killed him." Naruto met Jiraiya's eyes now, soberly. "I managed to get away, but Kisame knew it was me. He tried to follow me, and it took me weeks to finally lose him! Stupid shark guy made sure I was careful for months afterward." Jiraiya gave a small nod, showing that he now understood why Naruto kept quiet. Naruto had learned the hard way that knowing a lot of things was very dangerous, and got you targeted way more than just fighting full out. No wonder he preferred kicking people's asses!

"So," Tsunade summed up, "We know there are at least three members other than the leader who are still active. We will need to learn what is hiding in Amegakure, unless we happen to find one of those members. At this point that isn't likely, unless one of the remaining Jinchuuriki manages it."

After talking so much, Naruto was relieved that Baa-chan had taken over. He definitely deserved ramen after all this! But, he had to know for sure: "Baa-chan, you never answered why you wanted me here. If it was just for this information you could have sent Ero-Sennin to find me. You know he had the best chance to track me down." He lowered his eyebrows into a frown. "This has something to do with Danzo, doesn't it?"

Tsunade sighed, resigned to the idea that Naruto probably knew more about Danzo than she did at this point, but she owed it to him to explain. She turned slightly in her chair to gaze at the clear blue sky. "You're right, Naruto. Danzo and my advisors have long been a thorn in my side. Danzo wants to be Hokage, and he has a lot of important people following him. He was the instigator behind your banishment five years ago." She leveled him with a look, and saw him nod. One side of her mouth turned up. "Of course you know that. Anyways, I suspect he has some contact with a member of Akatsuki. He certainly did with Uchiha Itachi. With Danzo's secret organization, Root, and all of the people who answer to him, he is quite powerful. That is not even speaking to his own abilities. I can't get rid of Danzo, though, despite how much he needs his ass kicked! I'd need a lot of evidence to banish him, and even then I'm not sure what would happen to the ANBU he commands. Not to mention all of the information he has about Konoha." She slammed her fist on the table. "He doesn't deserve his position in the village. I am slowly working to get that evidence, and hopefully after Akatsuki is defeated I can get rid of him for good."

Kakashi, who was scratching at his impressive tower of hair, joined in. "You need to be careful when dealing with someone like Danzo. Since we can't trust everyone in the village, it is better to use someone that he has no hold on."

"So, why me? You already trust Kakashi and Jiraiya-sensei. You went to a lot of trouble to get me, Baa-chan."

Jiraiya let out a loud snort. "I don't know how you survived this long on your own Naruto! If the Hokage brings the famous banned Jinchuuriki back to the village for a secret meeting, it will cause an uproar. No one will have any idea why, and it will distract them. This way, Tsunade can use the distraction to gain more information about Danzo while everyone focuses on you. Decisions on their side will be made quickly, which means someone might make a mistake that we can take advantage of. Danzo will probably know that it's connected to the Akatsuki, especially now that we know you fought one already, but that's fine. If Danzo reveals to anyone how he knows, it will expose his own connection to their organization. He can tell his ANBU since they are forbidden from speaking of him or Root, but the most they can do is spy on you. He has a few other options, but his best course of action is to try to figure out your intentions by keeping track of you. You, on the other hand, have the best chance of getting close to or luring in a member of Akatsuki, since you have the Kyuubi. Plus, Naruto, Tsunade missed you!" He laughed until Tsunade brought her fist down on the top of his head, knocking him off the window sill. Then Jiraiya got the look on his face that said he was very serious as he climbed to his feet. "I haven't seen you in action in quite awhile, Naruto, but I trust you can evade his ANBU as well as help us complete missions, both in secret and the ones we want them to know about. Also know that this is very dangerous. Danzo could decide to do something rash, especially if he is working with the Akatsuki. And they could very well head here, now that they know where you are."

Naruto clenched his fists in his pockets and gazed up at the ceiling. He was torn about this. He had considered all of this before. But now that he was home, the idea of endangering Konoha was harder to take. It was a big risk, but it could help him defeat Akatsuki finally! Also he was already planning on getting the Masked Shadow, who was actually a friend of Naruto's, to gather information on Danzo. He was sure Sasuke was working on this already so he would have to talk to him as well. So much to do, and so many decisions to make!

He turned his gaze down and met the eyes of his three trusted friends in the room. "Count me in!"


	3. Chapter 3: My Old Friends

The support for this story has been awesome! Please keep reviewing and let me know how I can improve (in other words, _please_ tell me what I suck at!). I decided to start writing FF because: 1. I read it so often and 2. I really wanted to read a Naruto story like this.. so I wrote it! (I've gotten back into Naruto lately since they just added it to Netflix.. so yay for binge-watching the series again!).

Hope you enjoy! ^^

-Drazzah

Naruto stretched his arms over his head, yawning loudly enough to crack his jaw. It had been a long few days of travel, and an even longer time sitting around talking. He kind of missed the days where the Hokage just gave him missions to complete and sent him on his way. Life was simpler back then. But to reward himself, it was time to go to Ichiraku's! His mouth watered just at the thought. He set out from the Hokage tower, winding through streets that were familiar, with Baa-chan's instructions to return tomorrow running through his head.

Slipping his hands in his pockets, he strolled forward, enjoying the sunny day that always seemed more special in Konoha to him. Another thing he'd missed after so long. It was bittersweet to know he'd be visiting often until the Akatsuki problem was resolved, and then he was off to work on his own again.

After so long using Senjutsu, since Jiraiya had sent him to Mount Myoboku to train a few years ago, he could sense chakra signatures, especially if he was familiar with them. Of course in sage mode he was way better. That's why when he came to an empty stretch of road with a wooden fence he could tell there was someone hiding here. He hid a grin when he realized it was Konohamaru. He'd gotten much better at hiding since the days he'd briefly called him Boss. He must have heard rumors that Naruto had finally returned to the village. He braced for an attack, and continued to stroll up the street. He wanted to see how good Konohamaru had gotten after so long!

He cut his eyes to the left when he sensed the presence grow closer. Konohamaru was still hiding his chakra, and it was an impressive attempt. Naruto made a note to spend time teaching Konohamaru a few tricks later on.

There was a high pitched whistle, and he saw the blur of shuriken flying towards him. He causally moved the parts of his body that the weapons were aimed for, and kept walking.

He heard a faint curse and suddenly Konohamaru lunged from the balcony above, landing to the side of the yellow-haired shinobi. He turned in a spin-kick, aiming for Naruto's head, which he blocked by throwing his arm up, never stopping his walk forwards. Punches flew at him with a speed and strength that didn't surprise Naruto. He'd expected his former rival to become this strong!

The younger ninja suddenly flipped behind him into his blind spot, and with a metallic click, drew a kunai. As he swung it at Naruto's back, Naruto turned, walking backwards, and met the kunai with his own. The clangs of the weapons striking and small sparks flying up filled the quiet air around the pair, their movements a blur. Naruto caught Konohamaru's arm and flipped his own kunai around, striking at his unguarded stomach.

However, in a puff of smoke, he vanished. Out of the smoke came the real Konohamaru with a bright blue ball of chakra in his hand, planting his feet and thrusting it at Naruto. "I'm not done yet!" The shorter ninja yelled. He let a small grin escape. Jiraiya had been teaching someone else the Yondaime's technique! In response Naruto disappeared in a swirl of orange leaves and reappeared behind Konohamaru, bracing a hand on his head and grasping his attacking arm by the wrist, much like Kakashi-sensei had done to him so long ago. The chakra dispersed in a swirl.

"Yo, Konohamaru!" He grinned widely, while letting go of his hold . "You've gotten strong!"

Konohamaru spun around, beaming. "Naruto Nii-san! I see I haven't caught up to you yet!" Then his smile faltered. "Well, I can't beat you for the Hokage spot anymore, but I'm still going to take it! I'll still get stronger than you too!"

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "I wouldn't expect any less from my rival after all! But you didn't try out your best technique yet!" They glared at each other before raising their hands in a seal and shouting at the same time: "Henge no Jutsu!"

A cloud of smoke filled the streets before two beautiful women appeared, completely nude, though with strategic trails of smoke covering them. The blonde blew a kiss to the brunette and said in a high-pitched voice, "Hey, not bad, Konohamaru! But wait til you see my improved Sexy no-"

He was cut off by an irate voice shouting at him. "Naruto! I expect better than this, especially after so long! Still doing such a perverted jutsu!"

It was a blushing Iruka-sensei, who hit Naruto so hard on the top of his head that he landed flat on his face. The two dispelled their transformations, Konohamaru laughing loudly, while Naruto massaged his sore head. "Ah, damn Iruka-sensei, I think you're the pervert here!" Iruka continued to scold him, shouting about growing up or some nonsense. Naruto sulked. His improved Sexy no Jutsu was awesome after all!

He interrupted the tirade. "Hey, Iruka-sensei, let's go get ramen! Come on, Konohamaru!" The two walked off leaving Iruka-sensei to follow, who was smiling despite himself. Konoha had livened up just from Naruto being here a short time! He hadn't noticed just how quiet it had been without the troublemaker.

In the Hokage tower, after Naruto had escaped from the room muttering about ramen, Tsunade shouting after him to return tomorrow for another meeting, the three remaining ninjas settled down and looked at one another.

"Naruto has changed a lot, in ways I didn't expect." Tsunade began. "I think we were right to send for him."

"Well, of course!" Jiraiya grinned. "I told you my student would surprise you when you talked to him. He's been very busy the last five years. I've only seen him a handful of times since sending him to Mount Myoboku to learn the Sage Arts, so I'm not exactly sure what he's done, other than information I've been able to pick up and what Naruto has told me. I certainly didn't expect him to have fought an Akatsuki member." He sighed, rubbing his chin. "Though I have some ideas about a few of them, there are still many secrets Naruto is keeping to himself. But he's impossible to keep track of now. When he doesn't want to be found, he won't be. I once hired a friend who used to be an elite Tracker ninja to see how long he could follow him. Naruto lost him in a day." He threw back his head in laughter. "And then he sent me a scroll telling me to cut it out! What a kid. That's why I knew, other than being the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, that he was the ninja for this job."

Kakashi nodded. He was wondering a few things, though. Naruto had shown him how he had mastered hiding his presence first-hand. Kakashi hadn't been fooled like that in a very long time.. "Jiraiya-san, how has Naruto been able to gather so much intelligence? The ninja I remember could never sit still long enough to be stealthy or gather information. Is there someone he's partnered with?"

"Well, I asked Naruto that awhile back. He said it was simple. He hates doing it, but a shinobi in a village has many teammates who have different skills. They can share them to become stronger together. He had to instead learn those skills himself, or find people he could trust to do them for him. After a few bad experiences, he found it was easier to just learn to be patient, and he trained so much at hiding his presence and becoming invisible just to make it easier on himself." Jiraiya let out a gusty sigh. "It's sad that he had to change so much, but I think he's better for it, don't you? He's become quite a spy! Although he always says it's troublesome."

"Hmm, I never thought I'd hear it. He always just wanted to get stronger and to be the Hokage." Tsunade glanced over to Jiraiya. "Any idea what his new dream is? He seems to be working hard at it, but I can't imagine what he would decide on after leaving Konoha."

There was an odd smile on Jiraiya's face now. He shook his head. "You'd have to ask Naruto that!"

Tsunade groaned. "All right. Then answer this for me. Why does he call the Kyuubi Kurama now? He mentioned that he's been helped by the Nine-Tails. Don't tell me he can access its' power now?"

At Jiraiya's silence her eyes grew wide. "How on earth did he do that?"

"Well, with the Akatsuki threat, Naruto knew he'd never be able to defend himself properly with the Kyuubi working against him. There were more than a few times that he lost control of the Kyuubi and it caused minor disasters. He's released as much as six tails while we were on a mission together before I could use an emergency seal the Yondaime left behind. I sent him to the Hachibi Jinchuuriki, Killer Bee, to see if he could help him learn to use the Kyuubi. I don't know how far Naruto has come since then, but he can access at least some of the Kyuubi's chakra and power when he needs to."

A 'hmm' sound came from Kakashi. "It seems impossible that Naruto has learned so much in five years time with no full-time teacher. But, I guess he had many teachers instruct him on many things.. although he still learned very quickly."

Jiraiya perked up in pride. "Ohho, I helped him there. I realized that Naruto could use his Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu to learn much more quickly." Kakashi's eyebrow disappeared under his forehead protector. That was a very smart way for Naruto to learn. "It's very tough training, and only Naruto could use it with his levels of stamina and chakra. It was risky, but if he wasn't in the protection of the village any longer he needed an edge, especially being so young and vulnerable out in the world."

They were all silent for a moment. "Our village has caused Naruto a lot of pain, huh?" Kakashi said quietly. "We all turned out back on our comrade. It's amazing he turned out the way he did."

Tsunade agreed. "Perhaps we can assist him in his new dream to make up for it. Or, when Danzo is finally taken care of, we could offer Naruto a spot in our village once again if he would take it. Anyway let's meet again tomorrow, and finalize a course of action. We can't have too many meetings, or Danzo will get angry and put his guard up more than necessary. Dismissed!"

Naruto rubbed his stomach as he walked away from Ichiraku's in the dimly lit streets, surrounded by sounds of insects buzzing and parents calling for their children to return home. It was still the best ramen in the Five Nations! It had been great to catch up with Iruka-sensei and Konohamaru. He had made plans to return with Iruka for ramen, and to teach a few tricks and train with Konohamaru when he had a chance. He'd avoided any serious questions, because while he had secrets, he hated to lie. It was just his ninja way!

It was time to go meet his master in secret though. He still had private business to discuss, and one more thing he'd decided on after their earlier meeting. He had a feeling that Ero-Sennin wouldn't yet be waiting for him, but Naruto wanted to do something before they talked anyways. Naruto ducked out of sight and quickly spent a moment to shut down any presence he emitted, because he didn't want anyone to try to follow him. He knew he was already being followed by Danzo's ANBU from his banned Root division.

In a swirl he disappeared, his signature leaves fluttering in his wake, and landed on top of the Yondaime's carved face, overlooking all of Konoha.

Sakura hesitated on her walk to the hospital. She had forgotten a text she needed to study for a procedure tomorrow with Tsunade-sama, so she had turned around half-way home. She wanted to walk and enjoy the warm fragrant night. She had breathed deeply, a content smile on her face, and tossed a wave towards the old man who ran the vegetable stand she frequented. But she had hesitated because of a familiar glimpse of spiky yellow hair down a side street.

She of course had heard the rumors from family and friends visiting the hospital. They always shared their gossip with the patients they came to see. Uzumaki Naruto, the demon fox, some of the angry ones called him, was in Konoha. Meeting with the Hokage. There was excitement and fear in their tones. Sakura was just confused. Why was Naruto back after so long? _Was_ he back?

Her heart seemed to ache in her chest. She had been left alone after Sasuke-kun had left the village, and then Naruto was banished. Tsunade-sama had taken her under her wing, and she had always thought it had been because of that perverted Jiraiya-sensei. She had regretted the way she had treated Naruto, especially sending him out after Sasuke-kun. But they had been friends! She really wanted to see him. All of them back in Konoha seemed too good to be true!

She paused, but couldn't see any more hint of Naruto. Well, he would come see her when he was ready. He must be doing something important to be having a meeting with Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya, and Kakashi-sensei after all. In fact, she would grill her master tomorrow! Satisfied for the moment, she continued her walk.

While he waited for Ero-Sennin, Naruto glanced towards his old apartment. It had been completely redone. He had no illusions that they had done that so a new family would move into the house of the "demon fox" without feeling cursed. A long weary sigh escaped. He couldn't help but notice all of the dirty looks, the glares from citizens walking back home at the late hour. It had been so long since he'd had to deal with so much dislike and rejection, he'd almost forgotten what it had been like. It would take a lot for Konoha to truly accept him, although that was no longer his goal in life.

He sat down and crossed his legs, hands resting softly on his knees, palms up. He was curious about who has in Konoha, and where. He let the natural energy around him gather in his center, filling him with strength and awareness. His senses prickled and chakra signatures throughout the village lit up like tiny beacons. When he opened his eyes to glance around, he knew he bore the red sage marks that surrounded his now toad-like yellow eyes with their horizontal pupils.

Naruto felt the power course through his body, and again let his eyes fall shut as he felt out the chakra all around him. So many familiar presences here! It truly felt like home with all of his friends around.

Sasuke was out of the village, as Naruto had expected. He had heard that Sasuke refused to stay in Konoha until Danzo was taken care of. Instead of fighting Danzo head on, he was helping Tsunade gather information so that the entire village would know what a fraud he was and all that he had done. To fight him head on would gather the villager's hate, which worked against Sasuke's goal to rebuild the Uchiha clan.

Jiraiya was to the east of the village, no doubt getting a drink and gathering intel before meeting him here. Kakashi had headed home to rest, since he himself had just returned from a mission early this morning. He noticed that Baa-chan was still in her tower, presumably working on paperwork or some other boring job. That was the only thing about being Hokage he'd never looked forward to! There was Hinata and Neji, at the Hyuuga compound. The rest of Hinata's team was spread throughout the city. The Ino-Shika-Cho group were missing, out on a mission no doubt. He felt a pang when he remembered that Asuma-sensei was no longer with them. Sai was out in the forest somewhere, presumably sketching or training.

Finally he came to Sakura's chakra, deep in the Konoha hospital. He smiled. She must be hard at work to be there so late! Naruto did want to see Sakura again, because she had been his friend and teammate. He didn't feel the urge to yell "Sakura-chan" and try to win her love anymore. Since Sasuke had returned he knew it was hopeless anyways! Sakura was no doubt chasing after him again, as she had always done. He was happy for that, though. Naruto was tired of being alone, but until he met his goal he couldn't do much about that.

His head cocked as he felt Jiraiya rocketing towards him. He kept his Sage Mode intact, since he wanted to sense if anyone tried to follow his master or approached them. "You're late, Ero-Sennin!"

Jiraiya settled beside Naruto, his face slightly red from sake. He grinned. "Don't be that way Naruto! It's been quite a while since I was back here. Konoha sake is still my favourite!"

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto smiled briefly. The Legendary Sannin never changed.

"So? What news did you bring back?" Jiraiya was staring at him out the corner of his eye. "I can tell it isn't happy news."

Naruto decided to be blunt, since his master appreciated that. He had a few things to do after this meeting as well and didn't want his whole day to have been spent talking. "The Hoshi Onsen was attacked after we stopped there six months ago. The owners and any witnesses were killed. I talked to one shinobi who managed to escape, though. He said men with cloud coats entered the Onsen and interrogated them about us after a tip came we were seen there. He didn't have much of a description, since he ran to find assistance after realizing who they were."

Jiraiya hung his head, shaking it slowly. "Damn Akatsuki. I thought we'd been careful enough. Were they tracking you or me this time?"

Yellow eyes regarded Jiraiya solemnly. "You. They've been trying to track me down and have decided you're the best way to do that, I think. Either they'll torture you for information, or use you as a lure for me." Naruto sighed, picking up a stray stone and chucking it out over the edge of the monument. "Not only will my being here endanger Konoha, and everyone in it, but you and Kakashi will be in even more danger when you leave the village now that Danzo knows we've been meeting."

"You know they might have come to Konoha anyways to lure you out if they couldn't capture either of us. They haven't attacked yet because they want the Kyuubi last, right?"

Naruto made a sound of agreement, his hands now clenched tightly. "I hate this. I hate them. I wish I could just wipe them out already! How many more people have to die?"

Jiraiya clapped a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, kid. Once they decided to capture the Jinchuuriki they set this all in motion. The best we can do is outmaneuver them and wipe them out before they reach their goals. I'll be more careful, and tell Kakashi the same. I don't have to tell you to be on your guard."

They were silent for a moment, gazing out at the darkened village. Lights twinkled throughout the city, making it look almost magical in the twilight. Jiraiya broke the moment. "What else, Naruto? I know when my student is going to tell me something foolish."

Yellow eyes glinted as they were tipped up towards the stars spiraling above. "Tsunade is going to suggest that you enter Amegakure alone when Akatsuki makes their next move. She will decide that it's too dangerous for me since I may be captured, and then all would be lost." Jiraiya nodded for Naruto to continue. He had a feeling what was coming.

"I'm going to convince her to let me go instead." Jiraiya opened his mouth to speak, but Naruto raised a hand, finally catching his master's eyes. "The fact that you were detected is almost reason enough. You know I have the best chance to get in and out, despite them being guarded after your visit. There must be one very powerful sensory shinobi there. Maybe multiple. The best chance of success, of gathering any information at all, is for me to disguise myself and enter. I'm still working everything out, but I want to do this."

"Ahh, you're a difficult student to have!" Jiraiya scratched the side of his neck as he thought. "I'm one of the Sannin, and I've been around a long time, kid. I don't need you to protect me."

"It isn't only about that! You know I'm right. If you get caught, or killed, then where will we be? They'll use you to lure me in anyways."

Jiraiya turned a glare on to him. "I would hope they wouldn't be able to _lure_ you in! But knowing my knucklehead of an apprentice, you would go anyways."

Naruto hid his smile. Of course he would! He let his sensei continue, knowing he had won. But it wasn't about winning or losing, was it? It was about having the best chance to further their goal, while protecting the precious people he had left.

"All right, Naruto. I do agree, even when all I want to do is protect my student. When she brings it up tomorrow, convince her why you should go." Jiraiya stood up, prepared to call it a night. "I have never had such a stubborn student!"

Naruto couldn't help but smile. "Well, I learned from the best!" He chuckled, standing up himself. "I know you'll be careful, but promise to be _extra, extra_ careful, okay? If I know anything, I know that they'll try to complete their goals no matter what the cost."

Jiraiya gave an odd half-smile, looking down at the Yondaime's face below him. "I have many reasons to be careful, Naruto. I also have many reasons I want to defeat them. I will do my best in doing both of these things."

Naruto couldn't demand any more than this. The fact was that they were both in great danger, and it would take a great matter of both skill and luck to outmaneuver the Akatsuki, since they had limited information about the group. They could only do the best of their ability in this situation. "I trust you, Ero-Sennin. I have a feeling we won't see each other for awhile after tomorrow's meeting, so good luck.

Naruto gave his trademark grin to his sensei, then dispersed to the outskirts of the village. He had to think, and also he had to ensure the Masked Shadow's cooperation during the next few months. This was a great cause after all.


	4. Chapter 4: Plans in Motion

Hello again guys! I went home for the weekend for Mother's Day so didn't get to update.. I _am_ going to update this story frequently, I promise!

Also, xXChirushiXx thanks for the review! I realized after I posted the last chapter that I forgot to go back and explain how Naruto would know about Sai/how Sai fits into this story. Oops.. Sorry guys! I'll explain it more thoroughly soon. I just forgot to explain last chapter that he now teams with Kakashi and Sakura along with whatever Chuunin/Jounin they sub in for missions.

Thanks for the follows, favourites, reviews, and even just coming to take a look at my fic! ^^

Edit: mistake fixed! The problem with writing late at night is how tired my brain gets!

-Drazzah

He was just a flicker in the darkness as he lightly leapt from branch to branch high above the forest floor, his speed turning him into a dark blur. He knew he was needed in Konohagakure as soon as possible. He had swiftly altered his plans to accommodate this turn of events, deviating his course from South to East. Since he was constantly reordering the importance of the missions he set for himself, it wasn't much trouble. He had no master to report to so no one cared except for him, and he'd been planning to visit Konoha within the year anyways. One of the perks of being a vigilante, he supposed.

The bone-white porcelain mask he wore gleamed softly in the beams of moonlight that penetrated the canopy of leaves above him. Two red crosses, eerily appearing as if they were coloured with blood, slashed through the mask to conceal eyes that were automatically scanning the darkness around him. They called him the Masked Shadow.

It fit, obviously, but they could have done so much better with the nickname! He couldn't help but be disappointed. Who _didn't_ want a cool, fear-inspiring name after all? However, he knew that hiding everything about himself meant that people couldn't give any identifying monikers to him, so he'd been stuck with a dull one. It was one of the many sacrifices he'd made to complete his end game. Including wearing this damn mask in the first place. It was hot and hampered his vision, but it was a vital tool in his line of work.

He was brought to a halt as he sensed a squad of shinobi up ahead, guarding the border of the Land of Fire. His inky black cloak snapped around him at the abrupt stop, before resettling gracefully as he crouched to wait them out. The group would pass soon. They changed their patterns every month, switching break and patrol times as an extra layer of security. It just so happened that he'd been in the country within the last month so he had taken the time to memorize the current schedule.

He was making good time, especially since after altering his original plans he'd been forced to let a patrol near the Land of Earth's border with Ishigakure catch a glimpse of him. He'd led the shinobi on a false trail before he'd ditched them and turned East. Which is why he was now concealed above these shinobi patiently, despite his need to keep moving forward. He couldn't be spotted entering the Land of Fire after all, nor make any of these ninja sense enough of him to make them uneasy. The earlier Iwagakure patrol would report that they had tracked him progressing South through Ishigakure towards the Land of Wind, information that would be heard by a variety of different people. His next mission was complicated, so it was necessary that certain parties believed he was far away.

A triumphant smile curled his lips, as always hidden by the emotionless mask, as a bolt of excitement went through him. It was time to deal with Danzo.

Danzo, with his self-servicing actions, always presented as benefiting Konohagakure. Danzo, with his illegal program of ANBU. Danzo, who had betrayed multiple Hokage in his quest for power. And most importantly, Danzo, who used a seal applied to the tongues of his subordinates to ensure their silence. He himself wasn't much different in that regard though, was he? His smile faded. This part of himself he truly hated.

While he was delayed here, he reached up to finger the small book concealed beneath his cloak. It was a habit of his when he was lost in thought. This book was his present and his future. Its pages held dozens of names, each belonging to a different person. Danzo was not in it, despite meeting all of his criteria. He never would be.

It was a small object with rough pages bound in brown leather. A bronze buckle kept the secrets recorded on the paper safely inside. So did the seals carefully inked into the supple material. It _was_ his livelihood after all. It was even more well protected than he was thanks to Hiibaba-san. If this was lost, everything was finished.

See, everyone believed that the Masked Shadow was a renegade, because no one really knew what his intentions were. It was more accurate to say that he was a blackmailer. Only the individuals he extorted knew this, however, and they kept their silence without fail even from each other. He made sure of it.

He wouldn't label himself as an extortionist though, because he didn't just ferret out their skeletons and dangle them in front of their eyes as a threat. No, that was too easy. These were people who had done unimaginably evil deeds. Who stood on the backs of others to reach new heights, and committed acts that would always go unpunished because of their influence. So instead, his entire existence had evolved into selecting the ones with the most power politically and becoming their savior. When they got themselves into a tough situation, usually due to their own actions, he sorted it out for them in order to earn a favor that they had no choice but to grant. He saved them, only to bring them to their knees later.

He wasn't doing harm to good people, he _absolutely_ refused to do that. He actually wasn't hurting anyone at all. Since he'd donned this mask, not one person had died by his hands, and in the end he would stop the suffering these people dealt out without any bloodshed. That was his promise to himself, and to them. He'd tried it the way _he_ preferred, and he'd hit a dead end. Fighting the ninja these men hired to do their evil never got to the root of the issue. The trail of money led to men who almost always hid behind their money and hired goons, and were hardly able to battle him evenly. How was defeating them with his fists in such an unfair manner any more brave and satisfying than what he was doing? More would take their place, after all, once they were out of the way.

The mask tilted upwards into a lone shaft of moonlight as he remembered the start to this very long path.

He had met for a time with a special kunoichi. That kunoichi had been a genius with seals years ago, selling them for exorbitant prices, before going into seclusion without a word. At the end of his rope, he had sought her out specifically for the rumors about what she could do, and what she had sold to Danzo. It had taken him months to track the now old woman down, and he still suspected that he'd only found her because she had allowed it. He'd never learned the reason behind her interest in him. She hadn't even told him her name! She'd demanded instead that he call her Sousobo-san. Why she wanted him to call her great-grandmother, he had no idea. He'd hated the formality of it, so he'd in turn just called her Hiibaba-san. Much to her displeasure.

In time, he learned that Danzo had bought the seal he used for Root from Hiibaba-san. He'd tried to murder her afterward to ensure her silence, and so that she couldn't make another seal capable of undoing his. She'd just barely escaped, which is when she went into hiding.

And after _he_ had met her, she had crafted an even more powerful seal in the form of his leather tome, to help him defeat not only Danzo, but those like him, at their own game. Just like Danzo had feared. The Masked Shadow had been born as soon as she'd decided to aid him. He'd never looked back, and to this day she was one of only two people who knew the truth about his identity.

His attention was brought back to the present as he sensed the shinobi leave for their midnight shift change. He quickly shifted forward into a lunging stance, his feet glowing blue briefly. No more time for reminiscing. It was finally time to put these long-awaited plans into motion. In a rush of wind he was gone, just a shadow in the night again. He hoped Danzo was ready for him.

Naruto ducked a fist thrown by the round, long-haired guy before him, the force ruffling his blonde spikes. He slapped his left hand onto the rocky earth, firing his foot at his opponents face. _Damn, I missed. He's fast for such a big guy!_ He flipped backwards, skipping across the ground, as another presence appeared to his right, a kunai slashing down towards him. Whew, these two worked together pretty well.

He wasn't even supposed to be here, and as far as his new team members knew, he wasn't. The meeting three weeks ago had gone as he'd expected. Kakashi would continue on normal missions, gathering information when possible. Naruto would enter Amegakure only when the Akatsuki made a move, and only after a planning session with his team. Meanwhile, he and Jiraiya would separate and gather information from Sunagakure and Hoshigakure respectively.

So of course, after parting ways with Jiraiya, Naruto had gone to the Land of Rain. It really was only a small village on the border the country shared with the Land of Wind, and afterward he would travel to visit Gaara like planned. This stop became necessary when word had reached him that his friend had finally returned from a long journey, and may have information about the Akatsuki.

He had journeyed from Konoha two weeks ago, his course set for the Land of Wind, and wasn't expected to return to Tsunade for three more weeks. She had wanted his visits few and far between, which worked for Naruto. He did have a life outside of Konoha now, after all. This gave him plenty of time to do look into a few items before he was due back.

He hadn't expected a pair of missing-nin from Ishigakure to be nearby his friend's village, though. They'd recognized him as he'd departed for the Land of Wind. They'd laid in wait for him with a plan to capture the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki in order to gain favor with the Akatsuki, and hopefully join their ranks. He tsked, trying to think of an easy way out of this. If he just disappeared, Tanabi-san was in danger since Naruto had just left his village and they may track that connection down.

It was taken out of his hands as the large-bodied shinobi with the mean eyes formed a quick series of seals, slamming both hands into the hard-packed dirt below him, the sunlight glinting off of his slashed forehead protector. The earth rumbled under Naruto's sandals and he quickly formed his own seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Two copies popped into being, and they leapt into the air as the earth cracked into a huge chasm below.

The other missing-nin, a tall slender woman covered by a mud coloured dress, back-flipped to a safe distance, her long black hair flowing concealing most of her features. He needed to end this quickly; he was too close to Amegakure as it was! This kind of fight would draw their attention here, to him, before he was ready.

Naruto and one his clones held out their hands, swirling chakra into a large sphere. The third pushed off of the second, which exploded into a white cloud, and simultaneously grabbed Naruto's arm as he spun, flinging Naruto using this momentum directly at the male. "Oodama Rasengan!" he shouted as he rocketed forwards. He was inches away when a barrier of rock slammed in place, protecting his target. They underestimated the power of this technique, though! He slammed the concentrated chakra into the stone, holding it there was shards of rock flew out from the impact, and yelled with the effort. The slab cracked into pieces, Naruto flying through until the glowing ball connected with the ninja he was aiming for.

Instead of a satisfying yell of pain, the ninja morphed into a stone copy of himself. Naruto quickly glanced around, and sensed his target concealed beneath him. The woman was in the same position as before, where she had performed the barrier jutsu from, as she paused in surprise. She quickly regrouped, her hands signing before she raised a her fingers to her lips in a gesture like she was drinking a cup of the sake Ero-Sennin loved so much.

Naruto dashed to the side in a blur, making a large circle towards her, but she released her jutsu in a rush of breath. It covered the site of their battle in a heavy dust, concealing the movements of the two Earth-users while simultaneously blinding him. He coughed the grit from his mouth and adjusted, closing his eyes and using his senses instead.

He heard the woman forming another jutsu, so he quickly made another two Shadow Clones behind her, sending the original clone that had thrown him directly at her as a distraction. As the two concealed in the tree behind the kunoichi were making another Rasengan, he turned his attention to the big guy approaching him from below, though Naruto couldn't pin down the exact location through the chakra-infused cloud surrounding him.

A disembodied voice suddenly echoed. "Why do you fight, boy? You cannot win against the Akatsuki, you must know that. Even a monster like you isn't a match for their power."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Shut up, damn it!"

He quickly cloaked himself, leaving a clone in his place, reappearing where the ninja had originally gone to ground. He listened to the sounds from the continuing fight to his right, until the larger missing-nin revealed his presence in an attack against the figure he thought was Naruto.

It was the opening he needed. He burst forward, materializing underneath the ninja. Before the ninja recovered from his shock, only having time for his eyes to widen, his head snapped back with Naruto's upward kick, blood spraying from between his clenched teeth. He was lifted in a float, and Naruto hit him with a series of kicks to continue his ascent, following him upwards. They emerged above the cloud of dust, his opponent now parallel to the ground.

Naruto bared his teeth, and with a shout of effort, used his last kick in the series to propel himself above the Earth-user. He did a forward somersault, bringing his leg in an arc over his head to slam into the man's face, sending him in a head-first, downward spiraling plummet. He heard the vibrating thud as he landed. There was a shout from the kunoichi.

Naruto touched down outside of the dispersing dust-cloud. The man's impact had cleared most of it away. Naruto stared at the unconscious man. "I fight because someone has to win. And it has to be me!"

With that, he turned a glare towards his remaining enemy, who had avoided his clones for the most part. She had a tear down her sleeve, and her hand was burned from getting too near the burn of the Rasengan.

"You won't go to the Akatsuki with any information about me." Naruto spoke harshly, his blue eyes hard. "If I hear about them coming to this area, I'll find you and deliver you both back to Ishigakure personally, you got it?"

Her face contorted in anger. "Don't get full of yourself, Jinchuuriki. We may not have captured you here, but the Akatsuki will track you down on their own anyways. They haven't failed yet!"

Naruto had had enough. It was time to leave before anyone else showed up. Orange leaves swirled in a miniature tornado, and in the next second the kunoichi was crumpling to the ground, down for the count, revealing Naruto standing behind her.

He gave a great sigh, dispelling his anger. It wouldn't do him any good. They certainly weren't the only ones who thought this way. He knew they wouldn't go to the Akatsuki. Those members would see this pair as weak, and likely kill them.

He sprang away towards the tree tops, and dug down for his hard-earned speed. He'd lost enough time with those missing-nin. But at this rate, he would be in Sunagakure just past nightfall tomorrow. A journey that would normally take a week would take half that time for him.

He couldn't wait to see the Kazekage again. Gaara had become a great shinobi since they had been children! Naruto had visited him once, a year and a half ago, after the incident with the Akatsuki. He still couldn't believe that he had died, his Bijuu stolen. Naruto was still angered over the fact that he hadn't been able to save his friend when he'd been needed most. It was a miracle Gaara was still alive, and Naruto knew it was only because of the kunoichi from his village, Chiyo Baa-sama.

Yeah, it would be great to see him. Also, Gaara and the Sand shinobi he led were great sources of information. He would get to share what he knew as well, though with the Ichibi gone Naruto doubted Akatsuki would venture into Sunagakure again.

As the terrain morphed from leafy foliage to barren sand, Naruto squinted his eyes against the glaring sun beating down on him. Man, this black coat from Kurama-san was great, but it wasn't fit for the desert! The hidden village couldn't come soon enough for him, but he had a lot of planning to keep his mind off of the heat. And sand. And sun..

He always spent his traveling time sorting out information he could actually reveal, from that which only he, or a select other few, could know. Ah, man, keeping all of this straight was a pain. He decided to fill Gaara in on everything he'd told Kakashi-sensei, Ero-Sennin and Baa-chan about the Akatsuki, plus the intel he'd just gotten from Tanabi-san.

Tanabi-san had journeyed to Kumogakure, making many stops along the way to the Land of Lightning for information, while posing as a merchant. Tanabi-san was a spy, after all, who traded secrets for money. He'd managed to overhear a shinobi saying that the Rokubi was in the nation. The Jinchuuriki, named Utakata, was a missing-nin from Kirigakure, even more rarely seen since the activities of the Akatsuki came to light.

In Kumogakure itself, he'd learned that two ninjas with the Akastuki cloak had been spotted moving north from the Land of Water, one a scary guy with blue skin.

If this was true, it looked like Kisame and his partner were closing in on the Rokubi. At least he knew Killer Bee would be safe, since he was very well hidden, and the Akatsuki never got two Jinchuuriki at once.

There was always the possibility that those rumors were planted to throw off those like Tanabi-san, while the Akatsuki attacked elsewhere. However, Tanabi-san hadn't given Naruto any incorrect information yet.

The Akatsuki would make a move soon. He was ready for it.


	5. Chapter 5: Movement in the Shadows

Chapter five! I've had a lot of fun writing this for you guys~! Sorry for not posting sooner, had a busy long weekend here in Canada!

I hope you enjoy!

-Drazzah

Kakashi ducked behind a tall oak out of reflex as he spotted a subtle movement in the distance. His forehead protector was currently pushed into it's proper place, baring his bright crimson eye. He needed all the advantages he could get, seeing as he was here to locate Root headquarters.

Danzo's stronghold was one of the best kept secrets in Konoha. No one who knew the whereabouts could mention anything, due to that unfortunate seal, and Danzo himself would never share that information. There were rumors of movement in this part of the forest surrounding the village, so between missions Kakashi was doing what he could here in Konoha to gather intel. He hoped to have something by the time Jiraiya-san and Naruto returned next week.

He was glad he'd been cautious as he melted his spine to the rough bark, leaning very slightly to the left to scan the area. That shift in the shadows had been no animal. _Where... there!_ Thirty meters ahead, slightly westward. He knew he'd only caught that glimpse due to his Sharingan. This person was very well-trained to be nearly invisible in broad daylight. But then, so was Kakashi.

He silently paced forward, advancing on the silhouette that was steadily moving towards a clearing in the distance. When he got closer, he realized there was a soft ivory glow to the figure's face. A mask. Anbu, then? He must be near Root. If so, it was closer to Konoha than he'd estimated it to be; it seemed Danzo was as daring as always.

However, as Kakashi gained ground, he realized this person wore an odd cloak. It was dark, almost blue-black, and went from shoulders to ankles. But it stood out due to the bright gold buckles holding it together along the left side, and the tattered hem. He'd never seen an Anbu with such a garment. Was this a uniform choice for Root ninja perhaps? To distinguish them from Konoha Anbu? Or someone else entirely? He had to see the mask to be sure.

With painstakingly slow progress the pair inched deeper into the forest, both glancing around constantly for traps or other presences. At this rate he would be here awhile. He hoped Tsunade wouldn't be too annoyed with him for being late to their meeting.. __Ah,__ he thought tiredly, __I just want to read my book.__ His fingertips twitched as he thought about the cliffhanger the last chapter had left him at.

Kakashi was brought back as the form in front of him paused as if he'd heard a sound. He hadn't heard anything other than the ambient noises in the forest. Had __he__ been heard? His eyes widened and he ducked behind another tree just in time. The figure had snapped his head around to glance behind him, nearly catching the silver-haired shinobi. He held his breath, waiting for him to move on. _That had_ _ _been too close__ _,_ he thought. __Whoever this is, he's extremely careful.__

But Kakashi had caught a small glimpse of that mask he wore. He slipped from behind the tree to resume tracking the silhouette, his eyes narrowed in focus. Inside he was slightly shocked. That mask was no Anbu mask, nor was it a Root uniform. The owner of that mask had a reputation, one which no one could agree on, but his renown was wide-spread. In fact, throughout the Five Nations the only concrete fact about him was his description. An eerie white mask with two blood-red crosses for eyes, the same unsettling shade as Kakashi's own scarred eye, and a dark cloak. This had to be the Masked Shadow.

He was obviously here for Danzo, or perhaps he worked with Danzo? The rumors surrounding this mysterious shinobi were mostly about him aiding the rich and powerful, but also bringing down a lot of enemy organizations. It was puzzling, and meant that Kakashi couldn't be sure of his intentions.

However, he would bet that due to the furtiveness of his trek through the forest, that he was no ally of Shimura Danzo. The question was, however, if we was an ally of __their__ team. Naruto had positive feelings towards this rogue ninja, but Kakashi would have to watch his movements for now and see what occurred. There was a chance Naruto had asked for this shinobi's help with Danzo. He would ask at their meeting next week, and for more information about the Masked Shadow now that he was directly involved. His former student had proven surprisingly well-informed.

But for now, he would see if this Masked Shadow led him straight to Danzo.

The chase continued.

The loud buzzing of cicadas could be heard throughout her village. Tsunade liked the background noise, finding it helped her to think. Gods knew she had a lot of that to do as the Godaime. After a morning of tedious paperwork, she promised herself a nice bottle of sake later when she finished up her meetings for the day. She was waiting for the last conference right now.

But Kakashi was late. She tapped her nails rhythmically on the dull wood of her desk. She gave a huff, worried despite knowing better. Kakashi was always late after all, and he could most certainly take care of himself. But they were walking on a very thin, dangerous line here. Tonton gave a sympathetic snort from her place behind Tsunade, and Shizune cleared her throat.

"I'm sure Kakashi-san will be here soon, Tsunade. I'll take my leave now, though, and process these documents." As she spoke she gathered together the sizable sheaf of forms, tapping them into place, before striding smoothly from the Hokage's office with Tonton on her heels. She knew when the Hokage wanted a moment alone, and these closed door meetings of late were always invitation only. Shizune wasn't insulted not to be involved as of yet, but she couldn't help but be anxious. Tsunade was rarely this wound up.

Tsunade sighed in the empty room. Of course Shizune knew there was more going on than she was being told. It wasn't that Tsunade didn't trust Shizune, there was no one she trusted more. It was that she didn't want Shizune in that kind of danger. Although he'd be incorrect, Danzo would see Shizune as a weak point in their collective. It was best all around to keep it between the four of them for now. Besides, the others were mainly information gathering at this point.

There wasn't a lot Tsunade could do for the group, other than keep their movements a secret from everyone else and try to stall Danzo. The council was already asking difficult questions about the Jinchuuriki who'd shown up out of the blue, and Danzo was planting seeds about the whole affair to sow dissent between the Hokage and her subordinates. She'd expected this of course.

She leaned back in her chair, sandal-encased feet propped on the desk. Naruto was another subject she'd been thinking about constantly since their reunion a month and a half ago. After all of this, Tsunade vowed that she would do her best to convince him to come back! She'd always been set on doing so, but she was even more determined after seeing Naruto again. He was more mature now, of course. But he was also less excited and cheerful than he'd been five years ago. He'd changed, although not in the important ways that made him who he was. But he seemed to have so many secrets and no one to share them with.

Jiraiya had mentioned late one night, after copious amounts of sake, that Naruto was a lonely kid despite the friends he'd managed to make across the Five Nations. Tsunade understood. When she'd left the village after Dan and Nawaki died she'd been lonely as well, despite having Shizune as company.

There was something about having a village or a family, a place to belong to and be welcomed into, that couldn't be replaced. Naruto had lost that, as well as his hopes and dreams, when he'd been banished. And why? So Danzo could get ahead like always. Because her council, her advisors, followed that twisted man instead of making their own opinions. She gritted her teeth in anger, furious with the situation even after all of these years.

He should have been able to grow up in Konoha, with his friends and teachers. He belonged here despite the attitude of the villagers. It was too late to change this, however, so she could only try to make it right now that he'd showed himself again.

It was this moment that a soft knock interrupted her thoughts, and the door opened at her terse "Come in!"

It was Kakashi, a sheepish expression on his face. He must have thought that her annoyance was due to his tardiness. Well, he wasn't entirely wrong. She smiled tensely at him and waited for his excuse.

To her surprise, he only apologized. "Sorry, Hokage-sama, something unexpected came up..."

"What is it, Kakashi? Spit it out."

"Well, there's been a development. I'm not sure yet if it's bad news for us or not."

Tsunade stared at him, resting her elbows on the desk, fingers steepled in front of her. "And?"

"I was able to find Danzo's compound. At least, I'm nearly sure that this location is where Root is based. There is a very large tree about two miles south of Konoha, and I believe there is an entrance within that tree. The headquarters must be underground, but without gaining entrance I have no idea how large it is."

The Hokage raised her eyebrows. "Very good Kakashi. I doubt it will be easy to infiltrate, but knowing the location is a good start. What's the problem then? Were you seen?"

"No, I don't believe so," He began, only to pause as if to think about his answer. He continued in a tense voice. "The problem was that I was _led_ to the compound, I didn't find it myself. Someone else was already en-route when I arrived, and I followed them." She motioned for him to continue. "I believe it was the shinobi known as the Masked Shadow. He's in Konoha, and has some sort of business with Danzo. It could, of course, be an imposter. Based on the skill-level of this individual, though, I believe it must be him."

She hummed, thinking about the new development. "Well that is surprising. I've never heard of him coming to Konoha before. He normally solves problems for the wealthy and influential does he not? Danzo does qualify as both, but I can't see him entrusting a mission to such an unknown ninja when he has his own personal squad of Anbu." She spoke with thinly veiled disgust.

Kakashi scratched at his tower of hair. "I don't believe he's here to aid Danzo, Tsunade-sama. There are also stories about how he's helped to bring down a few underground organizations. He seems to be a spy for the most part. That may be why he's here. Also, don't forget he did help out during the battle against Kakuzu."

"Then perhaps he __is__ working against the Akatsuki after all. As an ally to them, Danzo would be a person of interest. Either way, anything to help bring down Akatsuki and our resident pain in the ass is a help. We can't trust him, but perhaps we can leave spying on Danzo to him." She straightened, a firm look in her eyes now. "The council is starting to become suspicious of your continued time in the village."

Kakashi sighed. "I thought that might happen. It's time for me to take an outside mission, then?"

"Mm," she agreed. "After Naruto and Jiraiya return and share what they've learned we will send you out. For now, continue to gather any information you can, including anything on this new player. Dismissed!"

He nodded, ready to disappear. When she began to speak again, he paused. "Be careful, Kakashi." She didn't elaborate.

"Don't worry, Tsunade-sama. I'm always careful." With that, he popped into a cloud of smoke.

"And I always worry." she said to the once-again empty room.

It was four days later when she discovered a thick scroll laid out on her desk, stamped with red wax bearing the symbol of two crosses. She'd come to the office early, as was her habit on the first day of the week. It was still cold outside, the light of dawn not yet chasing the chill of night from the air. Stars still twinkled high above, slowly fading as the sun rose.

She paused in front of her desk, regarding the scroll suspiciously. Not sensing anything unusual about it, mainly any remnants of chakra which would indicate a trap, Tsunade cautiously reached for the roll of paper.

Tsunade whipped around when she sensed movement behind her, bringing her fists up and bending her knees into a fighting stance. She straightened in annoyance when she spotted a familiar tower of shining silver.

"Kakashi, what are you doing here?" She glared daggers at him. "You're supposed to be out of the village."

She'd sent him out the day after their last meeting on a mission half a day's travel from Konoha, at her council's insistence that a high-level Jounin take care of a problem for them. He wasn't due to return until the day Naruto and Jiraiya did, three days from now.

The shinobi was crouched on the window sill, the growing light of dawn haloing his serious face. "I finished late last night, Tsunade-sama. It was a simple mission, calling more for my reputation than my skills. You'll have my report later on today."

As she nodded, he continued. "I'm here now because I received __this__ " he stated, holding up a scroll between two fingers, "in my apartment. It told me to come here at dawn. I see you've found something similar." He glanced towards the larger scroll, before returning his gaze to the blonde in front of him. "Could this be a trap?" As he spoke, he hopped from his perch gracefully. "I'm not sure how anyone would know I'd be finished my mission and in Konoha by this morning."

Tsunade opened her mouth to reply but they both spun around simultaneously, prepared to attack, when a voice suddenly sounded from a formerly empty corner of the room. "Sorry, I might have been following you. But rest assured that there's no reason for me to trap you, or to cause you harm! I'm here because we have a similar goal."

The two surprised shinobi did not back down, and eyed the new figure for any sign of a threat. It was the Masked Shadow. Kakashi had witnessed this mask twice now, and he could tell it was the silhouette he'd followed to Danzo's compound days before. In fact, after leading Kakashi to the tree in question, he'd then disappeared without a trace. Showing Kakashi, then, to gain his trust?

The tarnished gold of the buckles that fastened his cloak gleamed in the rising sun as he leaned back against the wall as if to get comfortable. The mask seemed ominous, like the Anbu masks were, despite the ease of his movements. He wasn't too tall, or too short. His hair, Kakashi saw now, was covered by a hood. There was nothing identifiable about this individual whatsoever. He couldn't even sense his chakra. It was like there was a black hole leaning against the wall. It was unsettling, and something Kakashi had rarely come across.

Tsunade, reaching the same observations, could still sense __something__. Some sort of powerful object, one that felt like a seal or curse, but the trace was so minuscule that she couldn't be sure. She spoke harshly at the intruder.

"Who are you? What do you want here?"

"I think you know who I am. At least the front that everyone else sees, which is enough for now." The voice was strange, distorted. It wasn't just the mask muffling the sound, it was something more. Like it was done purposefully. "As for what I want, well, that's too much to get into right now. How about what I want at this moment?"

He lifted an arm lazily, revealing heavy gloves with gold buckles to match his cloak, as he pointed behind the Hokage. "I want to give you _that_. We both want Danzo dealt with and I'm here to help make that happen. I led Kakashi to Danzo's hideout yesterday."

Kakashi stepped forward, body still tense. "Why would you bother to take me directly there?"

The odd character waved a hand. "To show my good intentions. I know you would have found it soon, you were actually really close, but I wanted to speed up the process for you. Also, some in Konoha were getting anxious about your schedule as of late, so this worked out better for all of us."

Tsunade narrowed her eyes dangerously, clenching her fists. "Those are closed council meetings. Any meetings I've conducted in my office are closed as well. Tell us how you got this information!"

The figure straightened from his slouch, hands help upright in a peace-keeping manner. "All I can tell you is that I've been spying a long time, and I know what I'm doing. I never share information unless it's used to bring down someone like Danzo. Even then I rarely do tell anything I've discovered, since I prefer to deal with it myself. Any secrets of Konoha are safe."

"Did Naruto ask you to come?" Kakashi asked warily.

The mask turned towards him. "Uzumaki Naruto? I didn't get asked by him to come, although he may have informed a mutual friend who in turn told me I might be needed here. I have only met Naruto once, a long time ago."

This statement was met with suspicion. A sigh seemed to issue from the ninja.

"I know you can't trust me. It's smart not to. But I hope in time we can come to help each other. All I want to do in Konoha is to dig up the roots that are choking it. Roots may anchor plants to the earth and give them life, but once they rot the plant is dead. And Danzo's roots have definitely turned to rot."

Kakashi wasn't convinced. "Why are you after Danzo? Why now, after we've already decided to take him down?"

"This is a dangerous time. But especially for Konoha, with Danzo and the Akatsuki moving in the shadows. They will eventually come here if they're unable to corner the Jinchuuriki easily. I told you we have similar goals, and stopping Akatsuki is one of the most important. Aiding your group in what you're doing is the best way at this time at doing so. It will go faster with more people." His head cocked to the side, as if listening. "I have to go. I left you __that__ ," he nodded towards the scroll on the desk, "as a show of good faith. Use it however you want to. I'll be in touch."

With that, there was a __poof__ of black smoke. He was gone.

The tension left the room in a rush. The remaining occupants traded incredulous looks. Tsunade spoke first. "I don't know what to think of him, but I don't believe he means us any harm. The fact that we can't sense him properly is an issue, however."

Kakashi hummed, gazing back at the place the shinobi had disappeared. "The amount of information he's gathered is also troubling. He shouldn't have been able to access any of it. We can't know his true intentions, either, despite how easy it might be to let him use his skills to help us."

Tsunade shook her head, walking towards her desk. "Let's at least see this gift he brought. We can discuss this when Naruto and Jiraiya return in a few days."

Taking a breath, the Godaime cracked the seal. As she unfurled the parchment to reveal what was written, her mouth dropped open. Kakashi moved forward to scan the words over her shoulder.

In red ink there was line after line written about the comings and goings of shinobi to the part of the forest Danzo was believed to be based in. Half of the shinobi were just labeled as whatever their mask depicted, if they were Anbu. It was nearly impossible to catch a peek of an Anbu's face outside of their lodgings, after all. The other half were either names or descriptions. But what was really impressive were the recordings of Danzo's movements. Mostly within Konoha, it listed the times, locations and those present. It also detailed how long their meetings lasted and any observations about said meetings.

At the bottom of the list there was a signature. __Your Friend__ she read silently.

Well, this was certainly a surprise.


	6. Chapter 6: Setting the Stage

Thanks for reading, and sorry for the big pause between updates. I've had to get my head around where I want this story to go!

So, it's been confirmed that I don't fully explain quite a few things.. which I figured was the case, but I tend to get ahead of myself when I write which is a bad habit! -_-'

Just know that everything with Sai and Sasuke will be explained in the next chapter! As for Jiraiya teaching Konohamaru a few jutsu, I just figured that Jiraiya would look out for his former teacher's grandson, especially later on in the story (years into Naruto's banishment) with Naruto moving all over the Five Nations doing his own thing. Also to clear up one more thing: Naruto was banned after he returned from his battle with Sasuke, and Jiraiya then went with him without permission to help him out/teach him/go seek out Tsunade. Hopefully this clarifies a couple of loose ends!

Sorry for not making this stuff clear.. I'm still learning how to organize my thoughts and get everything across. ^^ Bear with me please! This will be a slightly shorter chapter to set up the following longer ones.

Now that I've babbled on too long: enjoy!

-Drazzah

"Ow!" Naruto pouted, scrubbing at the bump on top of his head. His bright blue eyes glared at Tsunade as she strode back to drop into her chair. Neither Kakashi-sensei nor Ero-Sennin looked very impressed with him either.

They'd returned to the village for their scheduled meeting to pool information. Jiraiya had started off the conversation, but his expedition hadn't been very successful. Unless you counted success as writing a lot for a new edition of Icha Icha Paradise (Kakashi obviously did, if the way his eye lit up was any indication). The only new item he'd heard had been about the whereabouts of the Gobi, who was believed to be hiding in the north of the Land of Earth. There'd been no report of Akatsuki near there, which meant it wasn't urgent.

Naruto had started next, reporting everything he'd learned in Sunagakure. It hadn't been much, either. Naruto had been correct when he'd guessed that the Akatsuki had no more business in the Land of Sand, having successfully captured the Ichibi, and Gaara's spies rarely traveled into Amegakure. Right now, every nation knew that most shinobi never returned from that place.

As frustrating as it was, there just wasn't a lot of information about such a careful organization. The Kazekage _had_ been able to tell him a lot about other developments that his spies had picked up on, some of which Naruto took note of to act on in the future. In return, Naruto had told him all that he could about the Akatsuki and what he himself was up to.

Visiting Gaara had been great despite the seriousness of their talks! No one in Gaara's village looked at him with hate in their eyes, since Gaara, a former Jinchuuriki, was viewed as a hero there. He'd been tempted to extend his stay, but that wasn't a luxury Naruto could afford any time soon. He hoped to visit for a long time after this was all over.

Then, swallowing nervously, Naruto had begun to talk of his little detour before traveling to the Land of Sand. He knew they wouldn't be pleased and that it was going to be a lot of effort to try to defend his decision to them. But Baa-chan had already called him an idiot and hit him before he'd even told them what he'd learned. It wasn't fair: Naruto had really had no choice in going there!

Jiraiya just sounded put-out as he spoke, rather than the quiet fury of his fellow Sannin. "Oi, oi, I thought we agreed to stay away from the Land of Rain. Akatsuki's spies are all over that country. That was too risky, Naruto."

Since Kakashi-sensei and Tsunade looked as if they were going to chime in, Naruto raised his hands, waving them a bit as he spoke hurriedly.

"Ah, it turned out alright! I got good information from my friend Tanabi-san. His village is right on the border, so it wasn't like I got close to their headquarters or anything. And I only got into one fight, but I beat them up pretty quick." He kept talking over Baa-chan's questions. "There's nothing to worry about. With our meetings, and if Danzo really does report to Akatsuki, then they know I'm up to something already. They would probably expect someone like me to walk right into their country, right?" He gave a short laugh, rubbing the back of his head. "Besides, we're not getting anywhere playing it safe! It was necessary for me to meet Tanabi-san."

Kakashi sighed. "Naruto, it was still too dangerous. If any Akatsuki had happened to be nearby, like whoever you got into a fight with, they could have captured you. We know you're going to go there alone eventually, but that will be when we are certain that some members are busy elsewhere. If we lose you now, then where are we?"

Jiraiya and Tsunade were nodding in agreement. But Naruto, curiously, began to get a bit angry. He knew they were worried, especially Ero-Sennin, but he wasn't a short little kid anymore. He wasn't under their command, either. He'd been alone for a long time now, fending for himself! A hard ball seemed to form in his stomach. He could actually feel Kurama stir inside of him in interest. He clenched a fist over his stomach as he tried to calm down a bit. His brash voice stopped the muttering the other three had been doing, drawing their eyes to the sunny-haired shinobi before them.

"I can take care of myself! You have no idea what I can do, since it's been a long time since we've all been fighting together!" Naruto grimaced at their shocked eyes. How would he explain this to them properly? He cursed inwardly as Kurama tried to give his own opinions, but he just stubbornly shut him down. He wasn't in the mood to deal with the damn fox as well.

Naruto paused to reorganize his thoughts, hands stuffed in his pockets now, and leaned back on his heels while gazing up at the ceiling. He found a sudden clarity and his anger dissipated into simple annoyance. "I think you all, except maybe Jiraiya-sensei, see me as a kid still. But I've been training _really_ hard for five years. I've had to fight a lot to survive, to get money for food, or to escape people who want me for whatever reasons. I've made friends along the way, but traveling so much means I'm alone a lot. I know we're working together, but I'm used to working mostly by myself and I'm telling you, I'm not being reckless here."

He shifted guiltily at a knowing look from Ero-Sennin and revised that statement. "At least I'm not being reckless enough to get caught, but enough that we can actually move closer to our goals."

He let out a deep breath and looked at everyone in the room, meeting each pair of somber eyes. Or eye, in Kakashi-sensei's case. "But, you know, all of these things have made me stronger. I think I've become a better person, and a better ninja, with my life on the line so often. And with no one to bail me out if I get in trouble." He slashed his hand through the air decisively as he continued. "I'm not saying I'm stronger than the Akatsuki! They have to be really strong to be able to capture all of the Jinchuuriki that they have. But I have more to lose than they do, and more to fight for!" He clenched his fist, raising it in front of him, eyes hard with determination. "I won't lose to a bunch of people like that! I'll make that promise right now, to all of you!"

They stared in speechless surprise. It had been awhile since they'd heard someone speak like that. No one was quite like Naruto, after all.

"Well, Naruto, you haven't changed that much after all!" Kakashi began, his comment breaking through the tension. Naruto grinned slightly, relaxing. "I admit I don't know how strong you've gotten, but do know that I should trust you. You've survived this long, haven't you? You're not just my student, the short Genin, any longer!"

"Although," Tsunade laughed, looking fondly at the idiot in front of her. "You are still a Genin in Konoha."

Naruto stared at her in dismay, open-mouthed. He'd obviously forgotten that little detail. He clutched his hair, going on about the unfairness of being thought of a lowly Genin, while Jiraiya and Kakashi chuckled.

The Godaime just smiled. She'd forgotten how much you could trust Naruto when he gave one of his promises. He made you believe.

She let the atmosphere settle before raising a hand to get their attention. "Well then, Naruto, tell us why you decided to risk going there. What did you learn?"

Naruto shifted to face her, his bearing thoughtful as he reported. "The Rokubi is in the Land of Lightning. Two Akatsuki were witnessed moving towards his location, one of which is Shark-guy. No one could identify who his partner was, but it's probably Shiro, unless there are a few Akatsuki members we don't know about yet other than the leader. But Shiro and Kisame make the most sense to work together. Shiro's ice jutsu needs water, after all, and Kisame would have lost his partner when Itachi died. Tanabi-san has a contact trying to monitor the situation, and they'll get word to him when the Akatsuki make their move. It's difficult to hide a battle that large; I doubt they'll be able to keep the capture of the Rokubi a secret."

"So," Jiraiya began, looking at Naruto seriously, "it looks like you'll have to enter Amegakure earlier than we thought. Maybe two of us should go. I'd hoped there would be more time to learn Akatsuki's movements before you went to the Land of Rain. There's still too much we don't know.."

Naruto's groaned in exasperation. "Ero-Sennin, we went over this. It's better to go alone so that I'm not detected, and I have the best chance to do that! I'm not going to fight anyone, and if I'm attacked I'll get out of there quickly. I'm not ready to fight the Akatsuki head on yet. This is our best chance right now to get real information!"

Naruto again touched his stomach above his seal. Kurama was mocking him, he could feel it. He was keeping an important secret from everyone about the beast inside of him but if they knew they wouldn't allow him to go at all, and that couldn't happen. They had to stop the Akatsuki and this was really the only course of action.

He stood tall again, straightening his shoulders. "I've shown Kakashi-sensei a bit of my skills at hiding my chakra, and I've shown you how fast I am, sensei. I'm also going to disguise myself on top of that. It'll be fine!"

Jiraiya let out a loud gust of air. "I don't doubt you, Naruto, I'm just worried. We have no idea who this leader is, but he's got to be powerful. He sensed me too easily when I infiltrated before. Plus, any number of other Akatsuki could be in Amegakure, other than those currently in the Land of Lightning."

"Yeah," Naruto began, "but I already promised you I wouldn't lose to them!" He grinned crookedly at the other shinobi around him.

Tsunade just sighed. "I don't like it either, but I agree this is our best chance at moving forward. We'll wait for news about the Rokubi Jinchuuriki and proceed from there." Tsunade turned to Kakashi. "Tell them what you've learned about Danzo."

As Kakashi described Danzo's hideout, and the subsequent meeting with the Masked Shadow, Naruto fidgeted. He hated not being able to share everything he knew, but he'd made a promise to the Masked Shadow a long time ago and he couldn't break it now. He would just be as honest as possible.

Naruto tuned in when he heard his name. He wasn't good at these types of meetings; he got lost in his own thoughts too often. "Ah, sorry! What was that?"

Kakashi was shaking his head as he spoke "I _asked_ if you have any information about this? He said you'd met once, and you might have arranged for him to come. He also knew about our meetings and what our plans were. How involved are you with him, Naruto?"

Naruto pointed at himself, his face as innocent as he could make it as he replied. He wasn't sure he was fooling anyone, but it wasn't like he was outright lying here. "I made sure he came to Konoha, but any information he's gotten since then I haven't told him. All I did was give information to a mutual friend, who passes on intel to him sometimes, about Danzo and his ties to Akatsuki."

"But Naruto, why try to call him here at all?" Jiraiya was staring at him suspiciously, but Naruto ignored him to look at Baa-chan as she spoke. He knew the Sannin suspected he wasn't sharing everything but there wasn't much he could do about that now!

He scratched at his bright yellow hair absently. "I forgot to mention that I was going to get him to come, but he's not a bad guy! He helps out bad people sometimes, I know, but he has a plan that has to do with them. Mostly he gets good people out of trouble and exposes groups sort of like Root and the Akatsuki. Baa-chan is busy as the Hokage, Kakashi-sensei has missions and other things to do, and Jiraiya-sensei and I need to leave the village a lot for information. I figured having someone here who was really good and could spend a lot of time with this was a good idea.."

Naruto trailed off at their scrutinizing looks, only to start again with a slightly baffled and indignant tone. "If you don't want him here, you can send him away! He never helps anyone who doesn't want help."

Tsunade grunted, leaning back in her chair. "We're just not sure if we can trust him, Naruto. But we'll take your word for it, for now." Naruto opened his mouth to reply but was cut off as she began to speak again, waving a finger at him. "But! We're not going to share any information with _him_ until we're sure of his real intentions. He can continue gathering information if he wants to, and I'll keep an open mind about him."

Naruto nodded. "That's fine then!"

"So, Tsunade, what happens next?" As Jiraiya spoke he leaned back against the wall next to the window, arms crossed. He idly glanced at the scenery outside but it was a stormy day, the sky rolling with ominous clouds while rain lashed the windows of Tsunade's office.

"If Akatsuki is going to make a move soon, Naruto, you should stay here for now. I also have to send Kakashi on a mission away from the village to alleviate suspicion with my council."

Kakashi was nodding in easy agreement while the Hokage was the picture of frustration at the thought of her troublesome advisors. Her voice was sulky as she continued. "There is a mission in the Land of Water that you can take, Kakashi. That would keep you within a few days travel in case we need you. Jiraiya, you accompany Kakashi to gather information in that area while he completes his mission. Hopefully there will be something new to learn."

Jiraiya chuckled in delight. "There are some great Onsen in Kirigakure that I'd love to visit!" Ignoring Naruto's mutters about him being a pervert, he carried on. "I have a few sources there as well. Naruto and I can communicate with frog messengers from Mount Myoboku if anything happens in the time we're gone. What will you do around Konoha, Naruto?"

"Ah, well, I sensed Sasuke is back in the village so I thought I'd go speak with him. I know he will be interested in what we're doing, so I'll fill him in while he's here. I'd like to see him again after all these years too! There are a few others I'd like to talk to as well." Naruto smiled softly. It was nostalgic to think of his old friends and he was excited to actually speak with some of them finally.

Then his grin widened mischievously. "Also, if I hang around the village, Danzo might stop by to speak with me in person. He always has his Anbu follow me everywhere when I'm in Konoha, and he must be getting sick of me ditching them and only letting them watch me when I'm not doing anything exciting." The sunny haired ninja gave a snort of laughter. "It'll keep him distracted at least!"

Tsunade smiled fondly then returned to business. "It's settled then. Kakashi, your mission." She passed over a thin folder embossed with the symbol of Konohagakure, and he stepped forward to accept it. "You both leave at dawn. Naruto, come back here in a week if nothing happens. Otherwise make sure to visit me before departing if something _does_ happen." She sent him a stern glare, and he gulped before nodding. He wasted no time in escaping before they decided to talk about missions some more.

He laced his fingers behind his head as he strolled out onto the paved road, squinting through the rain as he felt for Sasuke's chakra. It was really just a formality, since he knew where the black-haired shinobi was likely to be. He decided to let the Anbu follow him as he leapt up onto the slick rooftops. He had to give them something to do and this way they'd be miserable in the rain while he caught up with his old teammate, he thought with a sharp smile.

Naruto had a lot more conversations to get through before he was forced to leave for Amegakure, so he'd better get started.

Now it was just a waiting game.


End file.
